All over the world new babies are born every day and everywhere new parents must register the birth of that child or of their children in the case of multiple births, however some parents have no idea, especially first time parents, how this process is supposed to work. However in the UK it is particularly easy to find the information about what you should do at the time of your new bundle of joy’s birth.
It is very important to register the birth of your child so that your baby is recognized by the local and other government officials, as well as helping your child go to school. Also your child birth certificate shows when, and where your child was born, as well as who were its parents. In some legal cases, it is used to settle legal issues such as parentage and in some cases which doctor was present at the time of birth, who can give insight into the conditions of that birth.
When your child is born in the United Kingdom you have exactly forty two days to register the birth of your new child, which means that within the allotted 5 weeks the government should have the information about your child. You can register the child through the “Office of Births, Deaths and Registers”; this must be done in the area (district) that your child was born in. This does not mean in the area that you live in unless you gave birth to your child in that area, it means where you physically gave birth.
There are only certain people who can register your child’s birth in the United Kingdom, so you will not be able to ask your sister to do it unless she has been selected ahead of time or been confirmed. Only the child’s mother will be able to register the child if the mother and father are not married, and if they are then the father may also register the child. Additionally if the mother and father are not married then the father’s details can be added to the birth certificate if he is at the registration with the mother and he agrees to add his details.
When you make your child or children’s birth certificate in the United Kingdom, you will need to provide certain information that must be correct and legal at the time of registration. This information includes, the day you gave birth to your child, where that child was born, what the sex of the child is, first, middle and last name of the child, and the parent’s information. When filling in the parent’s information you will need to include the name, the current date, where the mother or the father was born, and the occupation of either parent at the time of the birth.
It is very important that you provide correct and accurate information to your child’s birth certificate because you will need to know it when you pick up a copy of it later on. In some cases it will affect the benefits the child will have when they grow up as well as it being a part of their identification for the rest of their lives. Additionally mistakes such as misspelling of your child’s name or any other changes you would like to make can’t be changed later on.
